The number of smokers in South Australia has reached an all-time low, a new health survey suggests.

The Health Omnibus Survey looked at the habits of more than 2,700 people and found that last year just 15.7 per cent of South Australians identified themselves as smokers.

That was a fall of almost 4 per cent compared with the figure for 2013.

The group with the biggest reduction of smokers was made up of people aged between 30 and 44, falling from 26.9 per cent to 21.6 per cent.

Health Minister Jack Snelling said the latest smoking rates showed the message was getting through to South Australians that the best thing they could do for their health was to butt out.

“We know that people who quit start to see their health improve almost immediately and this continues the longer they stay smoke free, so today’s results are really encouraging,” Mr Snelling said.

“Research has shown that strategies such as social marketing and increasing the tax on tobacco products are most effective when they are done as a combination, rather than separately.

“In 2013 there was an increase in smoking rates following a pause in our state-run anti-smoking media campaigns.”

Professor Brenda Wilson, chief executive of Cancer Council SA, said the most recent results provided good news for the South Australian community.

“The 3.7 per cent reduction in the smoking rate equates to 51,371 less South Australians smoking than a year ago, that is more people than attended either of last year’s AFL Showdown matches at Adelaide Oval,” Professor Wilson said.

“Tobacco kills around 20 South Australians every week, which is why it’s so important to encourage smokers to quit and deter young people from taking up the deadly habit.

“The more we can do to reduce smoking throughout the community, the better the health outcomes will be for South Australians both now and into the future.”